A Dandelion's Rekindling
by ForgetMeNotForgetMeNow
Summary: Peeta has returned home, and I'm so glad to have the one who brought me hope back in District 12. But soon after the drama is gone, I notice something is very wrong. I promise to do everything in my power to save the one who saved me first. This is the only way to not only repay him, but to save him from something much worse than The Hunger Games. I make this promise to my Peeta.
1. One Step Foward Equals Two Steps Back

**Hi everyone... This is my first Hunger Games story... so I hope you enjoy. Without further ado... A Dandelion's Rekindling. *This is a story Katniss and Peeta's children.* And entirely Katniss's PoV!**

**Summary:**

**I made it out alive... and I'm just trying to keep it that way. Too bad I can't say the same about the one I really love. And here we are, like mental Avoxes, just trying to keep our thoughts. However... I can't help but let one little thing slip. **

**A Dandelion's Rekindling**

**Chapter 1: One Step Foward Equals Two Steps Back**

Realizing I've been standing on the steps the entire time, I step out into the nippy spring air. It's enough to raise the hairs on the nape of my neck... yet I was warm this morning. Perhaps my feelings are still muddled from my encounter just minutes ago, or maybe climate changes can just happen like that. Unshed tears threaten to fall as I make my way over to my small house. Greasy Sae awaits me, and somehow, I shovel the food down my throat, and clean up my dishes before sluggishly moving along to my room. What have I done? Just an hour ago, I felt safe and warm, but now, I feel like heat itself has been warned by him not to stay with me. And as I finally make it to my bedchamber, I let the tears fall as I slump to the hard wood... Defeated, if not dead, inside.

The next morning, I awake to squeals of harmonius laughter paired with a gruff, yet sonorous voice. Who the hell would wanna be here at five in the morning? After all, last night, I got no sleep... And now, I must wake up to the sound I wish could come from my throat. Laughter, a treasure you probably take for granted. You think it comes naturally, when really, it's forced. I haven't had the privilege of fake laughter. Yet somehow, my heart yearns for something even more priceless than a peal of laughter. The silky sound of a love-filled voice. Yes, I yearn for Peeta to be here comforting me, his voice filling my ear as I smile goofily at his statements. That is what ws happening before we both made our big mistakes. Peeta's was one that will take time to forgive... but mine... I don't see how he could forgive mine.

Here's how it all happened. Yesterday, the two-month anniversary of Peeta coming home, was supposed to be a happy day. Even Gale and Mother were coming to celebrate, because in the worst of times, we need something to be happy for, right? And I thought this was the perfect occasion. Since Peeta was joking around about us not doing much of what the other is doing... I decided I'd bake a cake. Sounds like a happy-go-lucky sort of event right? Weeelll... It was. Until I arrived, bringing the cute little cake with me.

I sauntered into the house, unaware of anything but the tune I was humming, and the cake I held in my hands. However, when I heard yelling, I knew it was Peeta and Gale, having a little tiff. "I know her better, we've been best friends for over five years... and I know she would NOT appreciate that. She might be caught up in a world of loving you... but, argh!" That was totally Gale... and then Peeta spoke. "Okay... are you even talking about Prim and the primroses anymore?" He stopped to think before continuing, "Never mind... That doesn't matter anyways. How could y-" Tears brimmed in my eyes. Why would he say that Prim doesn't matter? Suddenly, anger towards the both of them flared. "Excuse me? Preserving Prim's memory doesn't matter? How could you say that Peeta? I don't care if you just came home from the Capitol... whatever... but my sister's memory was the one thing keeping me grounded. You've got nerve to say that." Pooling in my eyes were the tears, not only for what Peeta said, but for my selfishness towards him also. After all, he had risked his own nightmares to help me stay grounded... Foolish me. However, one smug look from Gale sent both me and Peeta over the edge.

He spoke first. "Get that foolish grin off your face Hawthorne... For Katniss." I disregarded what he just said, and screamed at Gale, "And YOU... Gale? I don't even know you anymore. Even though you think you know me, you don't..." Although I felt disheartened, I kept going. "How dare you say I'm lost in my Peeta-loving? That is SO presumptuous. Right now, I don't give a flying flamingo about him!" It was then I realized the consequence of those words. And I began to cry in knowing I broke my already fragile ties between Peeta and myself. I kept whispering things like, "No, no, no, no, no!" to myself, until I realized it was useless. Gale had overstepped his limits, and in doing so, made my retortion fatal to my blossoming relationship. Mr. Hawthorne had left, and my mother hadn't arrived, so it was just me, and a really hurt-looking Peeta Mellark.

"Look Pee-" I started, but the man in question put a finger to my lips. "Katniss, save it. We both know what you said, in a less hyped-up term was hopelessly true. All my love for you in the world can't save it now." Sobs started to escape, but I quickly wiped my eyes, and let Peeta leave so I could just sit in silence. So, I left my cake, just taking a spare toothpick, and rearranging the icing to form the words, "I didn't mean it." After that, I silently slipped out the door and stood on the fronts steps, exactly where I was yesterday morning, wondering if things could ever be fixed.

So here I am, a day after the incident, just replaying it over in my mind. How Gale looked as if he was running my life, me feeling hatred towards both my "BFF" and lover, Peeta looking so distraught after confronting me, the cake's now changed message. What would Peeta think, and more importantly, how would he react? I truly love him, and if he can't see that, then maybe we DON'T belong together. Greasy Sae just smiled when I told her all about what had happened, and patted my knee. She looked quite sincere when she said, "Sweetie, it will all work out on it's own... in time. Believe me, even before you two were having a courtship, he just couldn't keep those blue orbs off of you Katty." I smiled fondly at her nickname for me, but told her it was impossible. "Believe me honey, he was madly in love with you long before you even spoke to him." I just blushed and remembered my mother's words on that subject... Similar to GS's. Speaking of which... I was quite mad at her not attending. She promised, but I guess I'm not half as important as Prim or Father or hometowns. The thought alone brought tears to my eyes. Being the most understanding, mind-reading person out there, Greasy Sae just hugged me, whispered, "I know Katty dear. I know, " and left, _hob_bling on the streets of the Victors' Village. And suddenly, I understand the meaning of "one step foward, two steps back." Every time something happens that's good in our relationship, something always comes and knocks it out. However, this time, I won't let it, because I will get my Peeta back.

**So there you go... five reviews, another chapter!**

**-BFF2HoA**


	2. Leave It All Behind

**Hey! Thanks to the lovely reviews from geekychic13, and Peeta'sLover1, I'm updating. Cheers to you awesome reviewers! Sooo, on with it!**

**A Dandelion's Rekindling**

**Chapter 2: Leave It All Behind**

If there is anything more awkward than having the one you love and your best friend in the same room, it's totally having your mother calling you to apologize for something that would've gone sour anyway. Last night, my broken, run-down mother called me to say she was sorry for not coming, it's just, and I quote, "too hard for me." She said her piece, and I told her to forget about it. Then, she hung up, happy for knowing her daughter wasn't mad, but sad for the tone of her voice. My mom can be very unpredictable at times, so that was just a little maddening. Greasy Sae smiles at me from the kitchen, as I kick my feet up onto the couch. Still no word from Peeta, no call, no letter on my doorstep, etcetera. Okay, I understand love hurts, but what is there left? I practically told him that I didn't love him, and he practically, no he did, tell me that Prim doesn't matter. But if I'm so enraged, why does my heart reach out for him? That's a question that may never be answered...

I have decided to take the initiative and talk to Peeta myself. Maybe later, because it is so early in the morning, that I doubt he'd be up, even to bake. However, there is something else I would like to do before I awaken the Boy With the Bread. Because somewhere out there, there is a man whom has caused both mine and Peeta's broken hearts. Smiling out of wanting to avenge this matter, I decided to call the man whom had flared my fire of the rebellion. The one and only, hateful Gale Hawthorne. What had he done it out of? Jealousy? Because if he had, now is the time to tell.

"What do you mean you did it to indeed break us up? I can't believe you, who I thought was one I could trust, turned out to be a hateful young man! As a best friend, you are supposed to love and support my decisions, and I chose Peeta. Are you so selfish as to take away the one thing that still matters to me? I love Peeta so much, and yet you can't even let me have him! Once he's in my grasp, you swoop in, and fire away! I hate you Gale Hawthorne... I really do." My shouts have reduced to pained sobs as I take in just what Gale had said. On purpose? Can people really be that low? So, without him uttering a word, I continued. "Peeta Mellark, the one person I can say I actually love in this world is the one you chose to take away. I don't care if your jealousy turns you blue in the face... Because I'm going to do whatever it takes to bring Peeta back. My dandelion... Yellow. The color of hope, the one who brought me hope. Yet you are foolish enough to mess with our walking-on-a-tightrope kind of relationship." I let him ponder this for a minute, but then continue to speak, sobs wracking my entire body, consuming me. "Peeta can't even see the depths of my love for him, because my emotional walls hold it all back. So I'm going to say this once Gale Hawthorne: I love Peeta. You do anything to mess with him, and I will personally come to District 2, and kill you myself. He is the center of my universe, and if you think I'm pretending, then have second thoughts. The only person you think you're hurting is him, but actually, the pain doubles for me. I don't care if you can't see me with him, because you set us up for a trap. One more time Gale: I am hopelessly, irreversibly in love with Peeta Mellark, and nothing you, he, or I say will change that. Not even yesterday..." So when I was done ranting, I hung up, and all but collapsed to my kitchen floor before seeing the Boy With the Bread staring at me from the door he opened, his eyes wide with confusion. And that, my friends, is when I blacked out.

Awakening felt like twenty tons of bricks laying on my forehead. The pain, dull and throbbing, ran through my body in a desperate attempt to awaken my veins. Then someone spoke to me, "Katniss?" The voice was smooth and filled with heavy layers of emotion. "The doc said you were beginning to stir. It's okay to wake up now." So I reopened my eyes, exploring the pain once more. However, it suddenly disappeared when Peeta came into my view. "Hey." I managed to choke out before bursting into tears. "Shhh. Don't cry Katniss." He smiled and patted my hand before getting a serious look on his face, and sitting down on my small bed. "Ummm, one question. Why haven't you been eating? The doc said you fainted not only from a shocking event... but also from self-starvation. Why Katniss?" He looked awfully concerned, and I was instantaneously falling in love all over again. "Because... two nights ago, I ate a very small portion of food, the next morning I only ate a pear, and I haven't eaten since. You know, when you miss someone, you don't do anything but think about them." I cried that out in agony as he just shook his head. "Me and my nightmares aren't worth it... Please Katniss." Peeta looked at me with such intensity in his eyes that I nearly fell dead onto the floor. "To me you are. You are everything to me. Don't say that." I whimpered silently, remembering just how frustrated I was with Gale. Just then, Peeta left, and brought back food. "Eat." He instructed, and for him, I obeyed.

I found out I had been sleeping for a day, so yesterday was when I fainted, and Peeta's two-month homecoming was three days ago. Perhaps he had thought about it, and maybe we are in love again. However, my thoughts are so muddled together, like Peeta's were after being tortured, that I can't even think straight. Was yesterday I dream? Had I really confessed my every thought to Gale, not knowing Peeta was listening? It just sounds so cliche, but when I find myself latching onto his arm so he won't leave, I know it isn't. His eyes keep fleeting to the door, as if saying, "Anyone could walk in." but I just melt, and croak out an almost inaudible, "Stay." And for me, he does. It's dark when I awaken to find myself still in the same bed, with the same blue orbs peering down upon me. "You stayed awake to watch me sleep Peeta?" He just nobs, and gives my shoulder a light squeeze. Then, he speaks. "Guess what? The doctors said they could discharge you tonight if you promise to eat." I just squealed, my ecstacy obvious. He laughed a quiet laugh, and I smiled. Things seemed perfect. Until Gale decides it's okay to walk in.

'Bewilderment' must be across written across my forhead, because I see it reflected in Peeta's eyes. Although his blue orbs are normally warm and inviting, right now they are just stone cold and hurt. Tears trickle down my face, and I'm thinking about what I said. "Lover Boy found out... Hmmm." Gale's voice resembles cold hatred. "No, he was standing on my doorstep. Get out Gale. I really don't want you here." However, his feet stay planted, and Peeta gets up. "C'mon Gale. Go, for her sake. Katniss, I notfied your mom, and she must have..." His eyes become hurt. "Told Mr. Hatred over here all about it. Hun, why didn't you tell your mother what had happened?" I just shook my head, as if to say, "Later, later."

Gale left with a fury I have never seen before ablaze in his eyes. And boy, oh boy, I nearly kicked his ass for what he muttered before he left. Let's just say it rhymed with "Duck Her and Lover Boy." Once he left, I went home, and wanting some peace and quiet away from everyone, I locked myself in my room. Half an hour later, there was a light knock on the door. Ignoring it made me seem rude, but whoever it was left something outside the door before leaving. I decided to be a good person and open the door. However, when I did, the surprise overwhelmed me. Laying there was my cake that I baked for Peeta, the icing now smoothed over rearranged to say: "I believe you. Same for me." He meant nothing? He really cares about Prim? The next thing I noticed was a small note. It read: "Katniss, I couldn't fit this on the cake. Thank you for what you said at your house before your visit to the hospital. I will say this once: I am hopelessly, irreversibly in love with you Katniss Everdeen. Sound familiar? Peeta."

And I sqeauled for joy before running over to his house. Banging on the door made me feel quite childish... but I couldn't quite contain my emotions. So when he opened up the door, the only thing I could think of doing was jumping on him, knocking him over, and kissing him senseless. Passion engulfed me as our mouths moved in a synchronized pattern, letting each other know exactly how we felt towards one another. And for a minute, my mind flutters back to that time of the rebellion catching fire when Peeta and I had our fake lovey-dovey reunion. I can't believe how long ago that feels, when in reality, it was only about a year before, and how fake it was. However, my brain shuts off, and I continue kissing him, because this love is real, so very true. Finally, I find myself able forget all of the fake, and leave it all behind. Because I have my Peeta back, and I wouldn't want it any other way... Until he breaks apart from me and we both start to scream...

**Oooh. Cliffhanger! Be good, review, and I will update!**

**-BFF2HoA**


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